Lagniappe
by HoneyBee1
Summary: Logan, Veronica, Dick, and Mac receives unexpected items with unexpected results. At the same time, everyone has to decide their own future. LoVe and MaDi with a twist.
1. Prologue

_**Title**__: __Lagniappe_

_**Pairing/Characters**__:__LoVe, __MaDi_

_**Spoiler**__: __Future__Fic, __Sci-Fi, __Fantasy_

_**Disclaimer**__: __VM's __characters __and __universe __belong __to __Rob __Thomas_

_**Summary**__: __The __new __Fab __Four __receive __unexpected __gifts __with __unexpected __results._

_**Author**__**'**__**s **__**Note**__: __Lagniappe __(__pronounced __LAN__-yap)_ _means __something __given __or __obtained __gratuitously. This chapter is re-posted and beta'ed by** steenbeans**! Thank you!_

* * *

><p><em>I <em>_look __like __an __ass_, Dick thought. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, wearing a suit. Sure, he looked handsome, as always. But Dick and a suit was never a match made in heaven. His hair was long, and he refused to cut it- even though everyone kept hinting that he should.

Dick had his hair tied back, because it had grown past his shoulders. Chip had made a comment a few days ago that he looked like Veronica, which had gotten him a purple-nurple from Dick.

He hated this day; the day his dad was getting married again. It had been less than a year since Big D had gotten out of prison. Yet somehow, his dad had already met a rich divorcéeand managed to persuade her to marry him. _Well, __at __least __he __found __someone __from __his __own __age __group,_ he thought. _Not __to __mention __rich. __So __he__'__s __settled __for __life._

"Are you ready, son?"

Dick looked at his dad, who was wearing a very crisp suit. Big D was nervous but looked good anyway. Everyone could see that Dick would look like his dad in 20 years- still handsome. "Shouldn't we do this in a church or something? It's weird doing this at City Hall."

"Barbara and I decided that we'd rather get married here than have something more formal. We don't want to host another wedding reception extravaganza, since both of our last marriages failed," Big D explained. He fixed his son's tie and straightened his suit. "There. You look great." He got quiet for a minute, while Dick fussed with his own hair. "Thank you, son," he said softly. Dick looked at his dad, frowning. "For being here. It means a lot to me."

Dick just shrugged. "Dude, no sweat." Big D looked somber for a while, and then he hugged his son. Dick didn't expect to get hugged by his dad; he seemed emotional. He hugged his dad back awkwardly, and patted his back.

Big D cleared his throat and walked to the door. "Right, it's show time!"

Dick was a little bit stunned as he watched his dad walk from the room. A year ago, after Big D was released from prison, he'd been adamant about spending some quality time with his son. Dick had refused, and even avoided him like the plague. It had been much easier to live his own life without his dad shadowing him, and reminding him about Cassidy.

Richard Casablancas, Sr. had served time in prison, which made him a bit of social pariah in Neptune. Marrying Barbara Rosemont Fisher Warner Montgomery would bring him back into the arms of rich society. Dick had never wanted to get involved in his dad's personal business. Back in senior year of high school, when his dad had fled the country to avoid being arrested for fraud, he'd thought it was a badass thing to do. He hadn't cared much, as long he continued to get his allowance and trust fund.

But reality had crashed hard when Cassidy had murdered all of those people, and then committed suicide. The easy world Dick had known forever had been shattered, and he'd had to admit that his family was fucked up.

Dick hadn't forgiven his dad.

Not yet, at least.

His dad seemed determined to build a new family again. Dick had met his dad's fiancée, once, at a social dinner. She seemed nice enough, although there was a bitchy streak apparent in her attitude. There was no way that she would be a trophy wife for his dad; Big D was more likely the trophy husband for her. She looked like a young Elizabeth Taylor or Catherine Zeta-Jones, a dangerous beauty that could make men weak in their knees.

Dick hadn't talked to her much. They'd exchanged pleasantries, but that was it. His dad, however, was smitten; so he'd asked her to marry him. Surprisingly, she'd seemed smitten with him too and had accepted his proposal. Dick knew his dad could be charming and manipulative as hell, a talent that seemed to run in the family. But if they really were like each other, then they'd be perfect together.

The ceremony was very simple. There weren't many guests, only a few of Barbara's friends. _Bunch __of __MILF __Sex __and __the __City __wannabes__ – __or __Desperate __Housewives_, Dick thought when he saw her friends. There was Big D's lawyer, who glanced at his watch every five minutes, and Dick himself, the only family Big D had. Dick had wanted Logan to attend the ceremony, although he didn't think his dad liked that idea. His father was a bit insecure at having Logan at his wedding, especially after he'd found out that Logan had slept with Kendall. Dick had invited Logan anyway. But Logan had politely declined his invitation, giving an excuse about trying to bond with his half-brother, Charlie.

Dick thought bitterly about Logan's half-brother. He was a bit jealous, though he wouldn't admit it, that Logan had a brother; it made him think about Cassidy. Dick felt regret, sadness, and anger at the same time – especially at having to watch his dad move on quickly, in such a hurry to make a new family.

During the ceremony, Dick stood behind his father, watching him stand beside his bride. Barbara was wearing a simple white suit jacket and matching short skirt, with high heels. They seemed… happy. They exchanged wedding rings, and the guests applauded. Barbara seemed giddy, and she kissed Big D passionately; he returned the kiss with equal passion.

Dick felt… numb. He felt like his dad had had his wish come true, an instant new family. He would return home to Barbara's house and play a devoted family man.

What about him?

The guests were congratulating the new husband and wife. The women were shrieking and talking very loudly with Barbara, who laughed happily. Big D shook his lawyer's hand, who left City Hall immediately after that. Dick just stood around, not knowing what to do. He watched a photographer take his dad and his new step mother's pictures. They were smiling and laughing.

"Dick! Come here, son!" Big D called to his son. He gave Dick a bear hug, and Barbara followed suit. She hugged Dick and kissed him on the cheek. Dick smiled and kissed Barbara on the cheek too.

"Congratulations," Dick said. He wanted to make a crude remark or something, just to be in character, but he didn't have anything to say.

Big D had a big smile on his face. He hugged both Dick and his new wife, and kissed her cheek. "My family!" he said proudly.

Suddenly, Dick felt nauseous. _Mom, __Cassidy, __and __I __were __your __family __once__…_

"Hey, Dad. I think I'm gonna leave now. There's something I have to do for Mom this afternoon. She called from Geneva this morning and asked me to do this… thing. I hope you don't mind."

If Big D was disappointed, he hid it well. "Sure, son. But you're coming home afterwards, right?" By home, he meant Barbara's big mansion, of course. "We're having dinner as a family."

Dick grinned. "Nah, dude. I don't wanna ruin your honeymoon. Come on!" He hit his dad's arm playfully, but very hard. Even Barbara winced. "You guys have fun. Congrats to both of you." He offered his hand to his dad.

Big D's eyes were glassy, but he didn't take his son's hand. Instead, he hugged him tightly. "Thank you, son," he croaked.

Dick didn't answer, just pursed his lips tightly. Barbara watched the exchange carefully. She knew immediately that Dick was lying about having something to do, but she didn't say anything. Dick let his dad go and turned around, walking very fast towards the exit door.

Big D watched sadly as his oldest son walked away. Barbara held his hand and gave it a squeeze. He looked at their hands, then at her, and smiled. She was smiling too, and she kissed his cheek lightly.

Dick loosened his tie as he hurried down the steps of City Hall. He needed to get out of there fast. He climbed into his truck and drove towards Dog Beach.

* * *

><p>Veronica yawned widely, just as Backup yawned too. She looked at her dog lovingly and scratched the back of his ear. She was sitting in her car, with her camera in her hands, watching the crowd. She was parked near the beach, occasionally taking pictures of people who walked by.<p>

She was watching a juggler through her camera lens, when a head suddenly popped in front of her view.

"Boo!"

Veronica started a bit, and then frowned to see Hector leaning against her car. "You're blocking my view," she said. Backup barked, but Hector just looked at her and laughed like a hyena at seeing her startled. Veronica hated that laugh. "What do you want?" Backup barked again, hearing Hector's laughter. "Backup, chill." Her dog finally calmed down, but he was attentive beside her in the passenger seat.

"Whatcha' doin', _chica_?" Hector asked.

"None of your beeswax."

"It's my beeswax if you're hovering around in my turf."

Veronica snorted. "Since when do you have turf? Please don't tell me Arturo gave up his leadership and crowned you."

"Arturo decided that he prefers being a college freshman to a PCH leader. So I took over." Hector shrugged. "Hey, he's young. What does he know?"

"More than you, apparently," she snarked. "Congrats on being top of the food chain. Now, will you excuse me – I have a cheater to catch." She pushed his head away from the window.

"Word on the street is there's a new playa in town, taking over our territory." Hector leaned back against her car casually. "It's bad for business." Veronica narrowed her eyes, and shook her head.

"And this concerns me how?" Veronica asked.

"It don't, actually. But it brings unwanted attention from our great Sheriff's Department to our humble territory. You know how Van Lowe works. And you being here kinda make everyone antsy." He shrugged. "The Great Veronica Mars in our midst? And without her entourage of rich boyfriends in tow? She must be on a case!"

"You see this? This is a public beach. And I need to eat too, by capturing cheaters who can't keep their dicks in their pants – and you're in the way, _vato_."

"Yeah… I heard about how much you eat," Hector muttered. Veronica glared at him. "Fine, just don't attract anything. A blonde Mars with a Saturn car in Neptune city is bad enough –"

He didn't get a chance to finish his lame joke; Veronica quickly shoved his head aside and started snapping pictures. Her camera clicked furiously, and she mumbled something that sounded like '_gotcha_!' "Whatever, Hector. I don't care about your business." She checked her camera and chuckled. "I got what I needed."

Hector rolled his eyes. At least he didn't need to worry about her. But instead of leaving, he leaned back against her car one more time. Veronica shot him an annoyed look. "Hey, how's Weevil? I heard he's working for you."

"He used to work for my dad. Not anymore, not for a while. He's working at Hearst. Why? You miss him?" she teased.

Hector looked at her solemnly. "Yeah." He walked away from her car. Veronica was surprised to hear that. _Well, __that__'__s __unexpected. __I __guess __it__'__s __lonely __on __the __top._

She looked at the beach again, but the cheater was gone.

_Speaking __of __dicks_… She didn't expect to see Dick Casablancas. He was standing on the beach, watching the waves and wearing a suit, a bottle of Jack Daniels in his hand. His long blonde hair was messy and untidy, and he looked like hell.

_Great__… __What __do __you __do __if __you __see __someone __intoxicated, __and __you __know __that __someone __will __probably __drive __home __afterwards_? Veronica sighed. She didn't feel like talking to Dick, or even helping him; it wasn't like they were friends to begin with.

She sighed again, reached for her phone and dialed Logan's number.

* * *

><p>Logan and Mac were walking into his Penthouse suite, chatting about their website's profit and carrying a bunch of groceries, when his phone rang. Logan stared at his phone for a second, when he saw her name.<p>

"Hey," he answered.

Mac looked at him strangely. Only one person could make Logan breathless like that. _Must __be __Veronica, _Mac thought.

"So guess whose blonde, drunk, and probably needs help getting home?" Veronica greeted him cheerfully.

"Um… you?" Logan answered. She didn't sound drunk, so why she was calling him?

"Wrong blonde, actually. It's your BFF, Richard Casablancas, Jr., who happens to be displaying public drunkenness here at Dog Beach. He's 6 feet tall, so I don't think I'm capable of throwing him over my shoulder and carrying him to the Grand… And then I remembered you, his buddy who happens to be the same height and weight and also his roommate. Please get your butt over here."

Logan chuckled. "Glad that you have some concern for Dick. I wish you'd tell him about his awful hair."

"Sorry, Echolls. This blonde doesn't want anything to do with another blonde and his hair." She giggled. "I think he looks…"

"He looks like Fabio," Logan said. Mac laughed, overhearing him.

"Is that the voice of my girl BFF over there at The Grand? How dare she forget to call me yesterday for a little girl quality time?" Veronica asked. "Lemme talk to her, please."

"I'll tell you what; we'll both come to the beach right now." Logan glanced at Mac, who raised her eyebrow. "I'll need some help carrying a drunken Mr. Casablancas Junior."

"And I thought you were Mister Big and Strong," Veronica joked. "Okay, I'll see you."

"Bye." Logan was about to grab his car keys when he caught Mac's look. "What?"

"Nothing." She shook her head, but her mouth twitched. "So we're picking up Dick? Why, he's drunk in the middle of the afternoon?"

Logan sighed. "Today was his dad's wedding. You know how he hates his dad. I was invited, but I had to meet Charlie."

Mac nodded in understanding. "Why's Veronica there?"

"I didn't ask."

"Yeah, can't wait to meet her, huh?" She pinched Logan's arm and walked out of the Penthouse.

"Whatcha' talkin' about, Mac?" He pouted.

* * *

><p>Dick was sitting at the beach and drinking his bottle of Jack. He sat on his suit jacket while he rolled his pant legs up. He'd already taken his shoes and socks off, and he buried his toes in the sand. He was wearing sunglasses as he looked at the scenery in front of him.<p>

He watched a father carrying his son on his shoulders, and for a moment he got sad.

He sighed and lay down on his back. He was thinking about sleeping in his car; he knew he was too drunk to drive. He didn't feel like calling Logan and asking for a ride. He just wanted to be alone for a while.

His alone time was cut short, when he felt something licking his toes. He sat up, and saw that a dog was slobbering all over his foot. "What the hell are you doing?" The dog looked up and sat on its haunches while breathing hard, its tongue rolled out. Dick was drunk, so he looked at the dog in confusion. "Do I know you?"

"You do know dogs can't talk?"

Dick looked up, and saw a blonde pixie. Veronica was looking down at him, and she was holding a leash. Backup trotted over to Dick and licked his face. Dick chuckled a bit and tried to push Backup away, but the dog put his front paws on his chest and licked his face softly. Backup seemed to understand that the man in front of him was feeling sad, so he was trying to cheer him up. Dick gave up, letting his face get licked. Backup even licked the tears that suddenly appeared.

Veronica looked away when she saw Dick was crying. She stood and stared at the ocean, while Dick sat behind her and cried silently. She felt awkward; Dick had never shown any emotion in front of her. She was used to seeing him be a goofball all the time – so this was a very uncomfortable situation for her.

Dick hugged Backup and buried his face in his fur.

Sometimes a person just needs a shoulder to cry on…

Veronica didn't know what to do. This was Dick; asshole extraordinaire. She and Dick weren't exactly best friends. Both of them tolerated each other because of Logan. Veronica had never forgotten what Dick had done to her at Shelley Pomeroy's party. She didn't forget that Dick had constantly taunted her during high school. Or that Dick was the one who'd spread the sex tape of her and Piz during freshmen year. And of course, there was the matter of Cassidy…

She sighed and sat down next to him, while Dick glanced at her. His eyes were red, but he'd stopped crying. Backup put his head on his lap, and Dick scratched his furry back.

Veronica stretched her legs, surprised when Dick put his head on her lap. Veronica was about to kick him, when he mumbled, "Please, let me rest for a while. Will you let me, Ronnie?"

Veronica didn't answer, but she let him anyway. _I __must __be __crazy, __letting __him __sleep __on __my __lap!_ She thought that Dick was just really drunk. Dick was still hugging Backup, who was lying on his belly. Veronica looked down and stroked Dick's blonde hair. His hair was very long now, and very soft. She wondered what kind of product he was using to keep his hair shiny like this. She stared at the ocean again, noticing that the sun had almost set. And then she heard Dick slurring.

"It's all my fault."

Why did she suddenly feel her eyes stinging with tears…?


	2. Driving Miss Daisy

_**Author****'****s****Note**: So I'm having trouble deciding whether this fic would fall to which category: sci-fi or fantasy. But the main core about this fic is drama. And I have to say, the story has minor homage to a Japanese manga called 'Miracle!' by Amu Taniguchi & Eriko Komatsu, and 'Harry Potter: The Philosopher/Sorcerer's Stone' by J.K Rowling. Thank you so much to those who reviewed, subscribed, and favorited this fic; I really appreciate it. Btw, some people PM me and asked the meaning of Lagniappe. Lagniappe means you got an extra something from something. Like you bought a dozen doughnuts, and then you'd get an extra one. But in this context… well, let's just say the new Fab Four receives items that will change their lives._

* * *

><p>"Dude, I'm not cutting my hair," Dick said stubbornly. He scowled at the living room TV as he played <em>Tekken<em>. His fingers punched the buttons on the controller furiously, and his body moved wildly as he followed the movements of the video game.

"Dude, you look like a girl." Logan, who was playing too, shoulder bumped him. "Didn't anyone tell you that?"

"Tell me again, and I'll kick your ass." He kicked Logan's leg, and Logan kicked him back.

Logan stuck his tongue out. "Check this out: I'm kicking YOUR ass!" His character, Jin, was killing Dick's character, Hwoarang. Dick cursed and threw the controller. "That's how you play it! And now you have to cut your hair!" Logan mussed Dick's hair, and earned himself a punch in the arm.

Dick reclined in his seat and ran his hand through his hair. "I knew you were jealous of my mane."

"Go to a barber, Dick – Or I'm gonna find a pair of scissors and cut it myself." Logan stood up and grabbed his car keys.

"Where are you going?" Dick asked.

"I'm going over to meet Mac… and Veronica. I promised Mac I'd help her find an apartment." Dick raised an eyebrow when he mentioned Veronica. Logan looked at him sharply, like he was daring him to say something rude.

"Wait, she's moving out of the dorm? Why?"

Logan shrugged. "It's time, I guess." He pointed at Dick. "And I think you should do the same; get out of the frat house."

"What the hell do you mean? I live here."

"No, you partly live here. You spend lots of time at Pi Sig." Logan walked to the door. "Don't forget to cut your hair, Dick!" he called as he walked out of the Penthouse.

Dick exhaled and turned off the video game. In the few days since his dad's wedding, he'd spent his time either playing video games for hours or avoiding his dad. Richard Senior had been calling him constantly. He'd left several voice messages, asking him to come over to his house.

_His __house_… Dick thought bitterly. His dad kept asking him to have a family dinner. Dick never picked up the phone; always letting the calls goes to voicemail. His dad's voicemails were getting more desperate:

"_Dick… Please, for once. Pick up the phone, son. I don't know how to reach you. I just want to have some family time. Why don't you come over and have dinner with me and Barbara? Seeing you at the wedding… It was nice. So, please Dick. It's not like I'm asking you for a kidney!"_

Leave it to his dad to act passive-aggressive like that.

Dick tied his hair back and grabbed the keys to his truck.

* * *

><p>Logan knocked on Mac's dorm room and waited. When the door opened, he didn't expect Veronica to open it. He was speechless for a second. "Hey."<p>

"Hey." She smiled and let him in. Logan walked awkwardly into Mac's dorm room, noticing many boxes scattered around the area. "Mac is collecting her _delicates_ at the laundry room; she should be back shortly," Veronica explained as she closed the door. Logan nodded and pursed his lips. He hadn't expected to be in the same room with Veronica, just the two of them.

The last time they'd seen each other was when they'd been at the beach, picking up drunken Dick. Logan had had to pull Dick from Veronica, because he'd been holding onto her so tight. He'd finally managed to throw him over his shoulder and dump him in the backseat of his car. They didn't talk much at the beach; Logan thanked Veronica for calling him, and Veronica thanked him for picking Dick up. Logan spent his time petting Backup and stealing glances at Veronica, while Mac talked to her about various things. Logan was taken aback by seeing Veronica again; they'd hardly spoken before that day. Most days, Veronica was busy with classes and her cases, while Logan was busy with his own classes and the websites he ran with Mac. Ever since Veronica had angrily told him off for hitting Piz two years ago, their relationship had been strained,

And then there was that business with Gory Sorokin…

"So… you're helping her pack?" he asked, pointing at the boxes.

She grimaced. "More like I'm asking for her help. You know, for a case." She sat on the bed and folded some t-shirts. "But I promised to go with her to look for an apartment. It's the least I can do." He nodded. "So how's Dick? He seemed worse back at the beach."

"He's fine now. You know how it is; his dad just got married – again," he explained. He picked up some books and put them in an open box. Veronica smiled, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. Logan knew that look; something was bothering her. "Why?"

She shrugged. "Just asking. I've been thinking about him a lot for the past few days," she said absentmindedly.

He paused and looked at her. _What?_

She didn't seem to realize what she'd just said; it was like a thought spoken aloud. Logan's ears got red, and he swallowed. He felt a sudden jealousy over… over what? Why had she said that she'd been thinking about Dick? He roughly threw more books into the box, which made her frown. "So, you have a crush on Dick or something?" he chuckled humorlessly.

Veronica blinked and then laughed. "What? No. Eww, of course not." She looked at him with her blue eyes that almost drowned him every time he looked at them. "It was something he said… He said that he felt guilty. I dunno about what, maybe something to do with Cassidy…"

"Oh."

Logan felt like a jackass.

Veronica bit her lip. She felt his gaze boring into her. She cleared her throat. "Mac likes to take her time."

"Yeah…" He walked to the other side of the room; Parker's side. Mac had also put some of her boxes there. He sighed as he looked at the barren room. After freshmen year, Parker had decided to go back to Colorado. She'd had enough of the drama in Neptune. Logan didn't blame her; after their break up, he'd actually felt bad for her. She was a rebound from Veronica, and nobody deserved that kind of treatment. But he thought that he could have grown to love or care about Parker. She was fun, bubbly, and loyal. If he'd wanted a normal relationship, Parker would have been the one. But his heart and mind would always belong to Veronica. Even when she didn't want anything to do with him. Mac had never gotten another roommate after Parker had left, which she was okay with. She needed her space and privacy. But sharing a bathroom with other students wasn't exactly private. So she'd decided to get her own place.

Logan pretended to be interested in the books in his hands. Veronica kept folding shirts and putting them into boxes. Both of them were packing silently.

The door opened and Mac entered, carrying her laundry. She was with Bronson. She was laughing with him when she realized that Logan was in her room. "Logan, yay! Let me put this down first, and then we can go. By the way, you guys remember Bronson?"

Bronson waved his hand in greeting at Veronica and Logan. Logan remembered Bronson from the Treasure Hunt with Parker and Mac. He waved back. "Hey, man. Wassup?"

"Nothing much. This and that." He grinned. "So, you guys are going with Mac to look for an apartment?"

Logan and Veronica glanced at each other, and then looked away. Mac caught the looks from both of them and grimaced. "Yeah, I asked both of them 'cause I need both points of view- from a guy and from a girl."

"Well, I gotta go meet my sister. I'll see you around, Mac." Bronson squeezed her arm, and Mac smiled. When he closed the door, Mac's grin spread across her face. But her grin faded when she saw Logan and Veronica's amused looks.

"What?"

"Umm… Do you have something to tell me, Q?" Veronica threw a shirt at her.

Mac caught it and stuck her tongue out. "We're just friends. Can't I be friends with my ex?"

Veronica smirked. "Are you friends with Max, too?"

Mac narrowed her eyes. "That's different." She and Max had broken up a year ago, but their friendship wasn't the same since they'd broken up.

_Change __the __subject, __please, _Logan thought. "Well, are we ready to go now, _Miss __Daisy_?" he joked. "I'm your chauffeur for today."

Mac laughed, while Veronica just smiled. And then her phone rang – Veronica stared at the ID number. "Hey, you," she answered her phone, smiling.

Logan looked away and dropped more books into the boxes. Mac grimaced as she watched him.

It was Veronica's new boyfriend, Lucius Barbeau, Wallace's friend from the Hearst basketball team.

Wallace had introduced Lucius to Veronica. Logan had seen the guy when they were in the campus cafeteria. He'd been sitting and eating with Dick, when he'd seen Veronica, waiting in line with a tall African American guy and Wallace. He didn't think much about it, until the guy had gone to leave the cafeteria and he'd kissed her goodbye. Logan had dropped his fork and stared at the new couple in disbelief. Veronica was smiling and Wallace was shoving her shoulder playfully as he teased her. Dick saw Logan's look, but he didn't say anything. He only shook his head when Logan abruptly stood up and walked out of the cafeteria.

Lucius definitely wasn't Piz.

First of all, Lucius looked like he could kick Logan's ass. He was probably 6'5" and a black dude. And Veronica seemed comfortable enough with him. Lucius was nice to everyone, laughed a lot, and people respected him because he played basketball. Many girls on campus were envious when he started dating Veronica, as he was handsome. There was a rumor going around that several talent scouts were trying to sign him up to a major basketball league.

Logan wanted to bang his head against the wall.

He could handle guys like Piz; he could just be a jackass or show off his wealth. But Lucius was a whole different level.

Veronica and Piz had broken up just a few weeks after Logan had beaten up Gory Sorokin. Piz couldn't handle any more drama in Neptune; like Parker, he'd decided to leave Hearst and transfer to NYU. Wallace didn't have a new roommate for a year, until Lucius transferred from the UCLA to Hearst. He'd become Wallace's new roommate, and they'd hit it off right away. When Veronica had visited Wallace, apparently there had been sparks between them. Veronica and Lucius had been dating for a month now.

Logan refused to talk to Wallace afterwards. It wasn't like they'd been best friends or anything. Wallace hadn't forgiven him for beating Piz up.

"Shall we go?" Mac said, clapping her hands. Logan nodded solemnly and Veronica ended her conversation.

"Okay, I'll see you later," she said goodbye to Lucius and hung up.

"Let's go, girls!" Logan exclaimed with fake cheer.

* * *

><p>Dick was standing on the front porch of a very big mansion. He rang the doorbell and expected to see a butler or a housekeeper, but it surprised him when his step mother opened the door herself. She was wearing dirty jeans and t-shirt full of dirt.<p>

Dick raised his eyebrow. "Babs." Barbara shot him an annoyed look. "Barb?" She put her hand on her hip. "Barbie?" She curled her lips in disgust. "How about mommy dearest?" Right now Barbara folded her arms in front of her chest. "Step mother number three?"

Barbara shook his head. "Nice to see you too, _Dick_. I see you haven't lost that wit." She let him in. "Your dad isn't here, he's at the office." Dick walked in and saw the huge foyer with high ceiling. "But I guess you knew that, so you chose this time to visit."

"What? Nooo." Dick answered with a high pitch voice. "And miss the fact that my dad married a gardener?" He pointed to her wardrobe.

She chuckled, "I'm in the middle of planting some flowers. Come with me." She walked towards the backyard. The mansion was very big; Barbara obviously had expensive taste. The mansion was bigger than Dick's mansion back then. The mansion had 30 rooms and it was located near the beach. Dick was used to luxury back then, but even he was amazed with the mansion. The backyard was very big with an infinity pool facing the beach. A gardener was planting some flowers near the window. "You can have some rest now, Ernesto. I'll take it from here." Barbara said to the gardener. "And tell Lucero to bring some beers." Ernesto nodded and walked away. Dick raised his eyebrow, but didn't say anything. Barbara gestured to the garden chairs and table under the tree.

They both sat down and Dick looked around. "My dad hit the jackpot, apparently."

Barbara laughed. "You really don't have a filter, do you?"

Dick shrugged and relaxed in his chair. "I tell the brutal truth."

"Somehow I think you are smarter than your 'persona'." She air-quoted. "Why is that?"

"My 'persona' is my real thing." He air-quoted back. "I'm a simple guy who likes to hangout and surf. I'm not… smart like my dad or my brother." Dick looked at Barbara. "But I know when someone's being manipulative." He stared hard to Barbara. "It's a trait I share with my family."

"And that someone is me." She said. "You want to know why I married your father, when in fact I'm the richer one."

"I don't give a rat's ass, actually." Dick shrugged. "Dad is free to do whatever he wants." He shook his head. "But I am talking about my dad. You need to be careful before he sucks dry all of your accounts like a twinkling vampire to its victim."

"How charming. An aphorist." She stated.

"I have no idea what that means, but yeah." Dick gestured to his surrounding. "I hope you have an iron clad prenup."

They didn't say anything for a while. Dick looked around his surroundings. Barbara was really rich, it was weird to see her planting her own garden… or even marrying Big D. _Sex__must__be__good_, Dick thought. _Way__to__go,__dad._

"I love your dad." Barbara said suddenly. Dick looked at her with a blank expression. Dick never fell in love with someone, so he didn't know how it feels. He saw the destruction of Veronica and Logan over and over again to know that he need to stay clear from 'love'; he saw what happened to his parents, and then the string of ex-wives for his dad. So when someone actually said that she was in love with his dad, Dick didn't know how to react. Most women usually married his dad for his money. But now his dad didn't have money. "You may not believe me, but I do. And he loves me too."

Dick smirked. "My dad does have a way with lovey-dovey gestures." He raised his hands like he raised the roof. "Chicks dig that."

Lucero walked towards them bringing two bottles of beers. She put them on the table. "_Gracias_, Lucero." Barbara said to her maid. Lucero nodded and went back to the house. Dick opened the beer bottle with his belt, saluted his step mother, and drank the beer. Barbara looked at him amusedly. "You really hate your dad."

Dick put the bottle hard on the table. "What makes you think that?" He said tensely.

Barbara opened the beer bottle with a bottle opener on the table and drank the liquid. It was a hot day but pretty windy. She put the bottle on the table and looked at Dick. "Your father is trying so hard to put his life back together. And he's trying to connect with the only son he has left."

"Is that how he fed you the garbage?" Dick mockingly said. He ran his hand through his long hair. "Look dude, I'm here actually to warn you and give you a message for my dad." He looked at his step mother. "I don't want him in my life." They stared at each other. Dick put his hands behind his head. "Listen, you seem a really _nice_ woman. I'm sure you can parade your husband to your MILF friends. After all, he is a Casablancas. Everyone knows Casablancas gene is awesome." He stood up and cracked his back. "As far that I know, he can be happy with his new family." He shoved his hands to his jeans pocket and nodded. "Good luck, lady. Thanks for the beer."

When he was about to leave, he stopped in his track.

His dad stood few steps from them. Obviously he heard what his son had said. Big D looked stricken and he looked at his son sadly.

"Richard…" Barbara stood up.

Dick shook his head and walked away, accidentally bumped his dad's shoulder on his way out. Big D didn't stop his son. His face was full of emotion as he swallowed hard. Barbara walked towards him and ran her hand to his arm soothingly. Big D looked at his son's back and his long hair was waving as he walked towards the front yard.

Big D pursed his lips, trying so hard not to cry. He lost both of his sons… And it was his fault.

* * *

><p>Mac slammed the car door after she got in the passenger seat and shuddered. Veronica was sitting behind her and she shuddered too. Logan shook his head and made a face. He said, "That place… is disgusting."<p>

"Tell me about it!" Mac almost gagged.

"I think I'm gonna report that place to a health inspector." Veronica said.

"Please do that." Logan and Mac agreed together.

"This is like the 9th places we looked, and we haven't found anything suitable for you, Mac!" Veronica whined. "And I'm hungry!"

"We just ate!"

"We ate Cheetos!"

"Ladies, please – we can go to that burger joint near the boardwalk – naturally, we'll feed you salad, Mac – and meat for you, Ronica." He said hurriedly to both girls who were already pouting. "And hopefully we can find a suitable place near the beach for you, Mac."

"I don't want a place near the beach. It'll be too far away from campus."

"You said you want a cheap place." Logan reminded her. "There are some cheap apartments near Dog beach."

"You mean my place?" Veronica interjected.

Mac rolled her eyes. "No offense, Veronica. But I need a cheap place near the campus."

Logan exhaled loudly and turned the car engine on. "Fine, let's find something to eat first before you girls devour me." Mac and Veronica were talking at the same time about how they should find a place to live near the campus so they need to find a place to eat near the campus as well. "Wow, girls – can you chirp a little bit louder?" His phone was ringing and he picked it up. He saw Dick's name flashed. "Please save me from these girls!"

"You're still looking for a place for Mackie?" Dick greeted.

"Yeah, we're taking a break now and looking for a place to eat."

"Where you at?"

Logan exhaled again and looked out from his window as he drove his car. Mac and Veronica were chatting amongst themselves. "I dunno, near 02ers area."

"Dude, that's disgusting."

"You have no idea." Logan sighed. "Wanna meet someplace?"

"Yeah, sure. I know a place. There's a good buffet place in 04ers area, near that place where we bought that stolen merchandise." He chuckled. "It's near some house complex or something – you can check for a cheap place for Mackie there."

"Okay, I know the place. See you there." He said. "By the way, did you cut your hair?" He heard a dial tone as Dick hung up. "Ass."

"Where are we going?" Asked Mac.

"To eat. We're meeting Dick there too."

Both girls groaned but Logan just smirked.

* * *

><p>Two blondes and two brunettes were sitting in a booth of the buffet restaurant; Veronica and Dick already eating their way to their third servings, while Logan and Mac looked at them bemusedly. Veronica was sitting next to Mac and enjoying her bowl of pasta, while Dick was sitting next to Logan and chewing some shredded chicken. Logan looked at Mac with widened eyes while Mac just shook her head. They were both eating modestly compared to the two blondes.<p>

"So…" Dick began. He was still chewing and talking at the same time. "You found a new place, yet?" He asked Mac. "I don't get why you wanna live off campus."

"Some of us crave privacy." Mac said shortly.

"Privacy is overrated." Dick ate and moved a lot in his seat, like a child who couldn't keep still. His elbow bumped Logan's, who just sighed and scooted away from his friend. "I don't see why you can't join a sorority or something. Ronnie here joined one."

"That was for a case." Veronica mumbled. "Never again…"

"I rather stab my thigh with a fork than join a sorority." Mac deadpanned. "I don't look good with floral dresses." Dick actually looked at her up and down, imagining her wearing a floral dress, which made her glare at him and made Logan snickered. Veronica shook her head but continued to eat.

"If you haven't found a place, I think I saw a place near this area. You guys wanna check it out? I can take you there." Dick bit a large piece of chicken.

Mac shrugged and looked at Logan, who said. "Sure."

"I'm here to support." Veronica said. Dick nodded and finished his meal.

"I'm paying for this." Dick gulped his drink and pushed Logan so he could get out from the booth. Logan grunted in annoyance, but let him out. Mac yelled 'thank you' as Dick went to the cashier. Dick just waved his hand above his head. Veronica couldn't help but mock.

"Apparently having long hair made him generous. I say let him keep the hair."

Logan shook his head. "Dunno. He's been weird since his dad got married."

"I don't see any difference." Mac commented, and then added. "No offense," she said to Logan. Logan sometimes could be protective over Dick. Logan just shrugged and finished his drink. He put a half-piece of pie in front of Veronica, who smiled widely, and finished it off. Mac looked at them amusedly, because they didn't exchange any words.

In fact, Veronica and Logan didn't talk much when they were searching for a place for Mac. Logan was driving quietly, sometime making jokes here and there, and Veronica was reading the apartment section from a newspaper. But Mac saw Logan steal glances towards Veronica from the mirror. And whenever they were checking out a place, Logan was always standing behind them like a bodyguard – especially when they were in a bad neighborhood.

There was this creepy manager in a cheap apartment they were checking out. The guy couldn't stop looking at Veronica. Even Mac wanted to kick him. But Logan was already standing behind her, all tall and menacing, which made the manager back off. Mac was glad that she brought Logan too. And she was glad that Veronica didn't bring her boyfriend. Fortunately, Lucius had a basketball practice with Wallace. Although Lucius was more menacing looking than Logan, he was more soft spoken and more like a peaceful guy. You want to have protection, bring Logan or Dick – not Lucius or Wallace. As much they both could kick some asses, Wallace and Lucius wouldn't pick up a fight. They wouldn't ask for trouble. They weren't cowards, but Mac felt that if she wanted protection, Logan was the one she would call.

Of course, she would NEVER tell Veronica about it.

This was more how Mac viewed Logan (and occasionally Dick). _I __hang__out __too __much __with __Logan_, Mac thought. _I __secretly __cheered __whenever __Logan __was __being __over-protective __over __Veronica_. Mac would never tell Veronica that she preferred Logan over Lucius. As her BFF, she ought to be on her side.

"You guys ready?" Dick appeared at their table.

"I'm not finished." Veronica was eating her pie.

"For God's sake, Ronnie. Don't over feed your tape worm." Veronica threw a ball of tissue at him, which made him chuckle. "At least you're still hot."

"Shut up, Casablancas." Veronica ate the last piece of the pie.

"Although it seems you've gained some weight. How come it didn't go to your…" Dick gestured his chest area. Before Veronica could grab her taser, Logan already dragged Dick out of the restaurant. He smacked Dick on the head, which made him protest.

"Asshole." Veronica muttered while she drank her drink and scooted out from the booth as Mac stood up. Mac smirked but bit her lower lip when Veronica glared at her. "Not you too!"

"What? I didn't say anything!"

"You're hanging out with them too much lately." Veronica said, while Mac just chuckled.

* * *

><p>"THIS is the place?" Mac made a comment.<p>

The four people looked at the house in front of them. It was a big old house with bricks and woods. The house was very old, like a hundred years old and it reminded them like one of those houses in a horror movies. Logan, Mac, and Veronica followed Dick's car to this neighborhood. It wasn't a bad area; it looked normal. As they parked in front of a house with a sign 'FOR SALE', they were mesmerized by the house.

"You took us to an Adam's Family house?" Veronica hit Dick's arm.

Dick just scowled and rubbed his arm. "I didn't see the house – the trees are in front of it. I only saw the sign."

"Mac is looking for a place to rent, Dick. Not to buy." Logan sighed.

"Fine! Let's get outta here before we got cursed or something!" Dick stomped his foot.

"Can I help you?"

The foursome jumped in surprise when someone greeted them from behind. A Caucasian woman looked at them with a questionable look. She was probably in her 70s, but she looked younger as she was wearing jeans and turtle neck sweater and she had spots of blue in her white hair.

"Errr… we were just in the neighborhood and saw the sign. I thought this place was for rent." Mac answered. Logan, Veronica, and Dick nodded behind her. "I'm looking for a place."

"This house is for sale. I own this house, but it's time for me to move to Florida." She said pleasantly. The foursome only nodded. "Would you like to see the inside?"

"No, thank you… I can't afford this house." Mac smiled.

The woman smiled back and took her hand. She pulled her to the house, while Mac frantically looked at her friends. "Come on, at least look around. You won't regret it."

"No, ma'am. I don't think…" Veronica tried to interject, but the woman suddenly held her hand too and pulled her to the house. "Really, we must go…"

"Nonsense! Check out this house, and you'll love it."

As the woman put her hands behind the girls' backs and guided them to the house, Dick whispered to Logan. "Dude, if she turns into a witch, I'm so outta here." Logan rolled his eyes and walked behind the women. "Logan, what the hell?" Dick whispered tersely.

"You coming?" Logan asked his friend. Dick looked at the house. It seemed… mysterious.

"Okay!" He pushed Logan towards the house. "But if she starts chanting, I'm gonna run like hell."

Logan, Veronica, Mac, Dick, and the woman walked into the old house.


End file.
